TGANB Revamps Strategy to Combat Drug Menace in Telangana

 Hyderabad: In a bid to ensure that the younger generations do not become addicts and destroy their lives, the Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau (TGANB) has changed its investigation strategy completely as an effective measure to eradicate the NDPS drug menace from the state.

Rather than go about its usual practice of targeting peddlers and suppliers and seizing banned substances from their possession, the bureau will henceforth keep track of the movements of all habitual NDPS, synthetic and non-synthetic ‘consumers’, which will help in catching the main suppliers red-handed, sources in TGANB said.

The decision follows the recent meeting Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had with TGANB chief Sandeep Shandilya in the presence of DGP Ravi Gupta.

Reddy gave a free hand, along with logistic, technical and financial support by way of `40 crore to TGANB asking them to improve the conviction rate in NDPS cases so that it emerges as India's top performing agency in this regard.

“We have formed anti-drug committees (ATCs), which will essentially target schools, residential institutions and commercial establishments where drug consumption is rampant. Our teams will take stern stringent action against all such institutions. We have been legally empowered to seize those institutions and also prosecute them if they refuse to cooperate with our officers or continue to allow drug consumption in their premises”, Shandilya told Deccan Chronicle.

The bureau will soon start working full-fledged from its four units at Cyberabad, Hyderabad, Rachakonda and Warangal.

“The new police stations will be dealing with bulk synthetic NDPS dealers, who are involved in national and international drug smuggling. We are coordinating with our counterparts from other countries to firm up efforts to trap smugglers running the racket”, he said.

The teams have collected records of regular consumers, and statewide peddlers and suppliers, whose movements will be closely monitored. He said that convicts and ex-convicts related to NDPS cases will be under constant surveillance

He said the ADCs based in schools and colleges have to give information if they suspect shady activities inside the premises to the local police or TGANB officials.

ATC members will check bags and lockers for e-cigarettes, vapes, small liquor bottles, ganja chocolates, weed and cigarettes across the state, officials said.

They appealed to the public to report any information related to drug use or supplies that they come across to the TGANB control room on mobile number: 8712671111.

To focus on procurement by addicts; anti-drug panels set up in educational institutions